No. 11 Nebraska Ousts State From Postseason, 8-0
Bulldogs Finish Season At 34-30
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Eighth-ranked and second-seeded Nebraska (38-16) erupted for three multi-run innings and held fourth-seeded Mississippi State (34-30) to a season-low two hits to oust the Bulldogs from NCAA Region 5 Tournament play with a 8-0 victory in six innings Friday evening at Bowlin Stadium on the campus of the University of Nebraska.
The Maroon and White got singles from both Jennifer Nelson and Kate Jaspers who each finished the night 1-for-3 at the plate, but could not get a hit from the rest of its batting order. The nationally-ranked Huskers got a three-hit tally from rightfielder Nicole Trimboli and got multi-run homers from both Kim Ogee (1-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 R) and Amber Burgess (1-for-1, 2 BB, 2 RBI).
Mississippi State starter Courtney Frank (5-7) worked one inning and 19 pitches, surrendering a pair of earned runs on two hits and a walk before giving way to reliever Melissa Massey in the second. Massey worked the remaining four and two-thirds innings and got a no decision despite allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks. Nebraska?s Peaches James (23-12) struck out six over a complete game six innings and gave up just two knocks in picking up the victory.
Mississippi State got a leadoff single from Jennifer Nelson to start the game, but that would be all the Maroons would manage until one out was showing in the top of the last inning when Jaspers singled to rightfield to give MSU its final hit of the contest.
The Huskers, who are hosting an NCAA Regional for the seventh time in school history, put two runs on the board quickly, using a hit and a costly fielding error by the Bulldogs in the first to plate a couple runs and take a 2-0 lead into the second. Nebraska got a leadoff single from Trimboli in the next inning to chase Frank from the circle, but the Huskers took a 4-0 lead moments later on Burgess' blast to left.
After being held scoreless in the third, Nebraska struck gold again in the fourth, getting a pair of runners aboard with one out to set the table for the leadoff hitter Ogee, who rifled a 2-1 offering from Massey over the fence in rightfield for the 7-0 lead. Nebraska left the bases juiced in the bottom of the fifth in an attempt to finish off the mercy rule, but made good in the sixth on a RBI single from Trimboli with two outs.
NO. 8 NEBRASKA 8, MISSISSIPPI STATE 0 (6 Innings)
#4 Seed Mississippi State 000 000 -- 0 2 2#2 Seed Nebraska 220 301 -- 8 11 3
Frank, Massey (2) and Waterman; James and Burgess. W ? James (23-12). L ? Frank (5-7). Save ? None. HR ? NU Ogee, Burgess.